Current mobile stations have to be tested according to the operating functionalities, i.e. radio and connection functions according to OSI model layers 1-3 in the communication system as well as according to the applications, e.g. voice and/or data services or services based on data transmission, according to OSI model layers 5-7 for communication in mobile communication systems. Especially the operating functionality tests have to be performed during the development process of the mobile station and during conformance tests to release the mobile station for use in a public mobile network.
Mobile stations often support a variety of different mobile communication standards operating on different frequency bands and supporting a variety of functionalities associated with the different mobile standards like HSPA, LTE-Advanced. In early development phases a mobile station often does not support all mandatory features e.g. security procedures, to pass all required signaling procedures. Therefore it is necessary to adapt the tester according to the operating parameter and the functionalities of each mobile station to be tested, e.g. frequency band, authentication version, and to configure some procedures with special values to test all other functions exercised in a test case.
On the other hand, a large number of test scenarios and test cases are offered to a test operator, but not all of them are applicable to the connected mobile station, because e.g. the mobile standard, LTE, WCDMA, etc. or their specific embodiments like HSDPA, HSUPA, LTE Rel.9/10, etc. are not supported by the mobile station or because the software version of the mobile station to be tested is not yet complete and does not support all functionalities, e.g. security function.
In DE 10 2009 015 248 A1, a method is described for automatically testing a mobile station with respect to application programs or system programs running on the mobile station. In this method, a processing unit, e.g. a test server, in the communication network receives an identification number of the mobile station under test and information on the required test to be performed on the mobile station by either a test operator or by the mobile station itself, e.g. in reaction to an error occurred during execution of an application. The processing unit selects one or more stored test programs and optionally adapts it or them to specific parameters provided in the received information on the required test program. The type of mobile station is recognized by the identification number of the mobile station, here its MSISDN number. A test specification applicable to the type of mobile station has already been stored in the test server. The processing unit sends the test program e.g. by using a short message service (SMS) to the mobile station under test, where the test program is executed. The mobile station sends back test results to the processing unit for evaluation.
This test method only selects or adapts a test program to test an application or system programs running on the specific type of, i.e. functionality of OSI layers 5-7. To test operating functionalities of OSI layers 1-3, i.e. radio transmission or connection or mobility management functions, which require the exchange of signaling messages between the mobile station and the mobile communication system, a tester is required to emulate the network part of mobile communication system. This tester has to be configured in terms of the frequency band, the modulation, software and hardware version, etc. used or implemented in the actual mobile station to be tested. Also, only a subset of test cases can be successfully performed dependent on the already implemented functionalities in the mobile station.
Therefore it is the object of the present application to provide a method and test system that supports the test operator to select suitable test cases of a tester and to configure the tester according to the capabilities of the actual mobile station under test.